Hidden Sanctuary
by Shades-of-Angels
Summary: "I have always thought that I was alone, that I would always be alone." He gently traced her cheek with his fingers. "I had never thought that I'd find someone like you." A small smile tugged at her lips. "Actually, Gaara, I found you." His thumb brushed over her lips. "And I'll never let you go." He whispered, their eyes meeting. A voice growled in his thoughts. 'Mine.' Gaara/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters _._**

* * *

 _Chapter One_

 ** _Stormy Thoughts_**

* * *

 _"It was when the darkness came to be, that light shone the brightest ever seen."_

She tilted her head in wonder as she stared at the hundredth page of her grandmother's favorite book, her finger traced the words written on the worn out page. She shook her head and closed the book after slipping a long white ribbon in between the pages as a bookmark.

She stood up from the window sill, stretched her arms above her head and sighed in relief.

It has been quite a few hours since she has started reading, Aria has the habit to sit still while she does.

Her grandmother always pestered her to stretch her limbs every hour, complaining that she will have pains in her joints and such when she gets older.

The young girl would nod grinning sheepishly, and her dear Baa-chan would sigh exasperatedly, both of them knowing she would never remember to do so.

Since childhood, Aria spent most of her time in the library with her nose buried behind books.

"Iris," a voice called from behind the library door. "Dinner is ready; shall we eat?" Her grandmother opened the door slightly and peered inside, smiling as she saw the pile of books scattered on the table.

"Have you finished all the books in my list already?"

Aria placed the book in her hand onto the table and shook her head.

"I am reading the last one, your favorite. I am a bit at a loss to be honest." She trailed off, biting her lip in thought.

The ninety-year-old retired kunoichi chuckled softly, "You will understand with time and experience, Little Iris."

Her grandmother loved to call her by her favorite flower.

"Now come before the food gets cold!"

She went downstairs towards the kitchen, leaving the door ajar.

"I am not little." Aria grumbled, stepping out of her sanctuary and closing the door.

The delicious smell of freshly made curry wafted in the air as she entered the dining room next to the kitchen. Aria sat down across her grandmother and stared at the feast before her.

"You should have waited for me to help set the table, Baa-chan." She frowned for a split second.

"Nonsense, child. I am still perfectly capable." The old woman closed her eyes and put her hands together. "Itadakimasu."

Aria sighed and smiled, following suit. "Itadakimasu."

They ate dinner in comfortable silence.

* * *

The moon shone bright when night came, Aria sat at her window sill and leaned her head back against the wall.

 _'I wonder if there is only one moon in the entire universe.'_ She looked out the window.

 _'I wonder what else is out there, what adventures I could go on..'_ Her fingers played with a lock of her silky white hair.

 _'Silly girl, only miles and miles of sand would be waiting for me outside of the oasis.'_ She sighed, trying to lessen her curiosity.

But Aria knew that was untrue.

When she was a child, she visited a village every now and then, hand in hand with her father.

"Suna." She whispered.

It has been years since her last visit, her grandmother was very adamant about her leaving the Tsuriai clan compound, the only oasis in the desert.

 _"It is **dangerous** outside, it is not safe for you to go to the village, Little Iris."_

She will always remember Baa-chan's warnings. Though she felt that it is ridiculous, she obeyed her paranoid grandmother, having heard her tales of what had happened to other members of the clan.

 _'Including father and mother'._

Aria knew her grandmother was **devastated** by their deaths, she had loved her only daughter and her son-in-law dearly. She remembered the day they died vividly, her grandmother sensed their chakra disappear and fell to her knees sobbing.

 _'Chakra.'_ Aria stared down at her hands. _'As a child I thought it was magic, a sort of sorcery.'_

Her hands glowed white.

 _'It is still magical to me, even now.'_ She closed her eyes and felt the warmth in her hands.

 _'But it is a double-edged blade.'_ Her hands dimmed.

The Kekkei Genkai of the Tsuriai clan had caused the members to perish, leaving only Aria and her grandmother behind.

 _"It was not our special abilities that destroyed the lives of our clan members." Baa-chan clenched her fists. "But the heart of the corrupt, hungry for power."_

Aria had sworn to use her abilities only for good, for peace. An image of her grandmother smiling appeared in her mind.

 _'For my loved ones.'_ She glanced back out the window.

 _'Ah, another sandstorm.'_ The winds blew harshly across the desert.

Aria caught sight of a flash of red on the sand. _'What in the world..'_

She felt a familiar chakra presence and her eyes widen.

 _'Is that a person out there? In this weather?'_ She quickly ran downstairs towards the front door.

 _'Baa-chan is going to be so angry if she finds out.'_ She grimaced. _'But I can't leave someone out there in the middle of the storm,'_ She put on her sandals.

 _'Especially not when their chakra is flickering so weakly.'_

She ran out into the storm.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: This is my first ever published story! I have never been brave enough to publish any of my writings online before, but now I feel like I should just take a chance and try. I'd love some feedback of course, Let me know what you think of it so far and if I should continue the story! Take care!  
(20/12/2015)_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters**

* * *

 _Chapter Two  
_

 ** _Eye of The Storm_**

* * *

 _'_ _This was a bad idea.'_ She thought as she grew closer to the source of the flickering chakra.

Aria was not a kunoichi, she lacked in agility and strength. Her grandmother had tried to train her when she was younger, but it hadn't improved her physical skills in the slightest. It didn't help that Aria would come up with all sorts of excuses to escape the training.

* * *

 _"_ _Aria! Training was supposed to start ten minutes ago!" Baa-chan went into the library looking for her._

 _The head of the Tsuriai clan heard giggling behind her._ _Turning around, she opened her mouth to reprimand the little girl._

 _"Ar—" She cut herself off when she saw no one was behind her._

 _"Aria?" She looked around, trying to pinpoint her granddaughter's chakra._

 _More giggling was heard and Aria came from behind one of the bookshelves._

 _"I got you!" Aria grinned excitedly._

 _Her grandmother looked puzzled._

 _"Aria, I could not sense your chakra. If I hadn't known any better, I'd thought you were gone."_

 _Her grandmother's lips were set on a hard line. "How did you do that?"_

 _The little girl sprinted to the table and picked up a book with a blue cover._

 _"I learned it, Baa-chan! This book taught me!" She held it up with both her hands towards the older Tsuriai._

 _"You learned how to do it just by reading this book, Iris?" Baa-chan took the book and flipped through it briefly._

 _"Mhmm!" Aria beamed proudly. "I learned a lot of things from our clans' books and scrolls, Baa-chan!"_

 _Her grandmother's silence unnerved her, and she looked down at her feet. "Did I do something bad?"_

 _A moment passed and the book was slammed shut._

 _"Of course not, child." She ruffled the little girl's hair._

 _"I see that you are gifted with chakra control and techniques."_

 _Aria tilted her head in confusion._

 _"Even more so than your mother was." Her smile was melancholic._

 _"Tell me, Little Iris. Did you use your Kihaku?"_

 _Aria nodded hesitantly. "I-I'm sorry, Baa-chan. I know you told me not to b-but I.."_

 _Shina Tsuriai kneeled and hugged her granddaughter. "No, It's alright, Iris. I shouldn't have forbidden you to use what is rightfully yours."_

 _She kissed the little girl's forehead. "I see now that you are blessed with a powerful Kihaku at such a young age. You will grow to be more than I am one day."_

 _Aria's eyes widened. "Really, Baa-chan? Really? But you're so strong!"_

 _She grabbed her grandmother's cheeks with her hands. "How will I ever be like you?"_

 _Ruffling her hair once again, Shina stood up straight. "By training of course!" Her eyes twinkled._

 _"We are going to focus on your chakra control and techniques from now on." Carrying the book, she left the library with her granddaughter trailing behind her._

* * *

'I should have thought this through before running out here.' Aria mentally scolded herself. Her body emitted a white glow as she stepped cautiously.

'Though I'm glad that the light chakra shield actually protects me from the onslaught of sand.' She thought, closing the rest of the distance from her goal.

Kneeling beside the collapsed body, she quickly checked for injuries.

'I don't see any flesh wounds..' Her eyes drifted towards the stranger's face. 'I hope you're not a bad man, Sir.'

She tried to drag his body towards her home.

'He's heavy.' She grunted. 'And that thing on his back is not helping at all.'

The girl stood up straight and cracked her knuckles. 'I suppose I'll have to test out one of those physical enhancement techniques I read about a while ago..'

She closed her eyes and whispered. "Kihaku."

Half of her white irises changed color into a deep onyx, similar to the symbol of Yin and Yang. She slowly breathed in, and focused on the flurry of natural energy around her. Absorbing and converting It into chakra, Aria then formed a few hand signs.

'I hope it worked..'

She placed her hands underneath the stranger's upper body, and dragged him across the sand.

'Well, It didn't help as much as I thought it would, but it'd have to do.'

It took a while to arrive at the gate of her home.

'I can't drag you up the stairs, so one of the guest rooms on the first floor will suffice.' She entered the compound, dragging the body as quietly as she could.

* * *

After laying the body on top of a futon, Aria dusted off her hands.

'Time to ensure you're hidden from dear Baa-chan! Wouldn't want to get in trouble if she finds out about you, Scarlet.'

She had decided to call the stranger by the color of his hair, though she noticed that it is actually a darker shade of red.

 **'Like blood.'**

She quickly dismissed that thought.

A soft glow emitted from the walls of the guest room after she completed a couple of hand signs.

'I placed a few layers of chakra shields just in case, Baa-chan can be quite perceptive.'

Wiping the sweat off her forehead, the girl groaned softly. 'I definitely need to work on that physical enhancement technique.'

She sat down on the floor beside the futon.

'I hope I did the right thing.' She laid down, staring at the ceiling.

'Oh! I should try to figure out what is wrong with him, shouldn't I?' She sat up again.

'Maybe some books will help me..' Aria stood, quickly sprinting out of the room and up the stairs.

Tip-toeing past her grandmother's bedroom, she heard light snoring from inside.

'Phew! She's asleep. Thank goodness Baa-chan is a heavy sleeper!' She mentally snickered, entering the clan library.

'Medical books.. Let's see.' She quickly grabbed a few books and flipped through them.

'This could be useful.. Oh, this might help as well!' Holding a pile of books, she ran back downstairs.

* * *

An hour passed and Aria sat down near the red-headed stranger.

'Okay, so far I've found that he has no flesh wounds or internal injuries.'

She neatly stacked the scattered books on top of one another.

'He only has chakra exhaustion but it is quite severe.' Closing her eyes, she focused on his chakra.

'It could take up to two weeks for him to fully recover from it, depending on how fast his chakra replenishes and how much his chakra coils need to function properly.'

Aria frowned slightly. 'I can't possibly hide him from Baa-chan for that long!'

She imagined the fury that would be thrown upon her if her grandmother ever found out.

Flinching, the girl scooted closer to the futon. 'I'll just help you recover faster! It's a win-win situation.' She closed her eyes.

"Kihaku." She whispered.

After purifying and storing as much chakra as she could, she hovered her hands above his torso. Slowly, she trickled streams of purified chakra into the stranger's body. As she continued to transfer her chakra to him, she felt the chakra adapt and morph into the stranger's chakra signature.

Chakra is unique in every human, and different or opposing chakra entering one's coils could cause pain and potentially harm the body. But, the natural energy that has been converted with Kihaku becomes pure chakra, which is able to adjust to any body of chakra it is transferred to.

 _"_ _And that is why many people tried to take advantage of our clan, Iris. They want an unlimited supply of power."_

Aria shook her head, willing her grandmother's words to disappear and concentrated on the task at hand.

Half her chakra supply was drained already, and yet it seemed as though it hasn't replenished much of the stranger's chakra capacity.

'Just how much chakra do you actually—' She was bewildered.

'He must be a strong shinobi.' She bit her lip. 'I just hope you're not evil.'

She sensed his chakra signature beaming regularly instead of flickering, a sign that he is slowly recovering.

'His chakra.. It's—strange.' She pursed her lips.

'It is familiar, though I've never met him before. I feel as if—I've sensed it, as if it has always been there.. Perhaps he lives nearby.'

His chakra signature enveloped the room.

'I can't explain it but—His chakra is.. animalistic. It's interesting to say the least, I wonder why that is..'

Aria thought she heard a soft croon coming from the stranger, she shrugged it off and slowly lowered her hands.

'The sun will rise in a couple of hours, I should retire for now.' A yawn passed through her lips, she was utterly drained.

She stopped at the doorway, and glanced back.

"Goodnight, Scarlet." She whispered, closing the door behind her and departed to her bedroom.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: There you go, another chapter! I was pleasantly surprised to actually get a review! It motivated me to write a new chapter as soon as I can! I hope to get more feedback as I go along, I'd love to hear what you think of it so far! Take care :)**_

 _ **Edit: I added an extra line in there somewhere to clarify something :9 In regards to Aria's age, it will be revealed in later chapters :)**_

 _ **(21/12/2015)**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters**

* * *

 _Chapter Three_

 ** _Mindless Gestures_**

* * *

"Little Iris! Wake up!"

Aria groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, snuggling deeper into her blanket.

"Not little anymore." She mumbled almost incoherently.

"Little Iris!" Loud knocking on the door caused Aria to sit up and rub her eyes.

"Baa-chan! I am not little!" She shouted grumpily.

Her grandmother opened the door and raised an eyebrow at the sleepy girl.

"And yet you act like a child every morning when I wake you up."

Pouting, the girl crossed her arms. "Age has nothing to do with it, I am simply not a morning person."

Her grandma shook her head in mock frustration, "And to think you will be of age in a few weeks' time."

Her grandmother's eyes twinkled.

"I still remember the small child running around the compound with seemingly unlimited energy, only stopping when she tripped on a **rock** and fell into the pond."

Aria's cheeks colored, her lips still locked in a pout. "That happened over a decade ago!"

Her grandmother's hearty laugh echoed in the hallway as she exited.

"The exact same thing happened just last week!"

"I was chasing a butterfly, Baa-chan! That's different!"

Her grandmother only laughed harder.

Aria buried her face into her pillow. 'I wonder if she noticed that it was a **chakra** butterfly, I was practicing controlling them when one flew away!'

She stood up and hastily made up her bed. Grabbing a towel, she headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

After thoroughly drying her hair, Aria pulled her long white locks up and tied it into a high ponytail. A few strands hung and framed her face, she tucked a few behind her ears. She had decided to wear a white sundress today, the bodice hung snugly on her upper body while the skirt flowed loosely just above her knees.

She hummed to herself as she went to the kitchen.

The young Tsuriai grabbed a pot and filled it with water, placing it on the stove.

'I'll whip up some Oyakodon and Miso soup this morning!' She mixed the miso paste into the boiling water and added tofu.

"Iris, I'll be heading into Suna after breakfast." Baa-chan appeared at the doorway, dressed for an outing.

Aria nodded, stirring the soup.

"You've been going to the village more frequently in the past few weeks, Baa-chan."

"I suppose so. I need to finalize some arrangements with our clan's attorneys." Aria raised an eyebrow. "I also have another appointment at the hospital."

Aria looked down and bit her lip.

"Another checkup, Baa-chan..?" Her voice was on the verge of shaking.

Shina's eyes softened and she gently placed her hand on top of her granddaughter's head. "Yes. Don't you worry about me, child." Her hair was promptly ruffled.

* * *

Aria's mind wondered as she washed the dirty dishes. Her grandmother had left around ten minutes ago with a smile and a wave.

'Baa-chan, I can't help but worry.' She thought with a frown on her face.

She noticed that her grandma's chakra would fluctuate from time. She also noticed the slight tremble of her fingers, the pain in her joints.

'Old age is the enemy of all.' She dried her hands and walked towards the garden.

Staring out at the clear sky, Aria took a deep breath.

'Maybe it's time for me to shield the compound instead of Baa-chan, it would certainly help lessen her burdens.' She contemplated.

The Tsuriai clan compound, built surrounding an oasis in the desert near Sunagakure, has been protected by Shina Tsuriai since the Third Shinobi World War. The area is secured with a chakra shield, hiding chakra signatures from within the affected zone. Layers of Genjutsu shrouding the area causes unsuspecting people to see nothing but sand when they come upon the oasis.

'It requires a lot of chakra, but Baa-chan has mastered her Kihaku. She has the ability to continuously purify natural energy from the oasis and apply it to the shield and Genjutsu, so it doesn't drain her body's personal chakra supply.'

Aria skipped a rock across the pond.

'Though she has taught and trained me for years, right now I can only manage one layer of Genjutsu on top of the chakra shield.'

Her eyes grew determined. 'I'll convince her to let me take over for her. Her health is my priority.'

She went back into the house.

Aria soundlessly opened the door to the guest room and entered, sitting next to the resting stranger.

She gently started to clean the man's face with a wet cloth, wiping away the sand and dirt.

"Good morning, Scarlet." Her voice was light; she didn't want to rouse the unconscious shinobi. She scrubbed the cloth in a bowl of water and proceeded to clean the visible parts of his arms and legs.

'What will happen if he wakes up later?' Her hands stopped moving.

'If he attacks me or something I doubt I'd be able to defend myself.' She frowned before smirking at an idea she had.

"I'll just have to keep you unconscious the whole time, ne?"

She made a mental note to check for any helpful jutsu in the clan books.

She finished cleaning the stranger and picked up a book with a green cover, her eyes scanning the pages quickly.

'Alright, so far there are three ways to keep someone in a comatose state according to this book.' Aria flipped the page.

'One of the techniques is to insert chakra that has been slightly altered to cause drowsiness. If it is done continuously, it should ensure the recipient will not be able to regain consciousness during the procedure.'

Aria nodded to herself. 'This is doable, since I'll be replenishing his chakra at the same time, it'll be like killing two birds with one stone!'

She raised her hands and proceeded to work.

Two hours passed and her glowing hands dimmed. "Finally! I've recovered almost half of your chakra supply!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"You are definitely very strong, Scarlet."

Her eyes gradually scanned his face, taking note of a tattoo on his forehead. She swept his red bangs to the side, her finger gently traced his scar.

'This kanji..' She tilted her head to the side.

 **"Love."** Her voice seemed as though it echoed throughout the room.

Absent-mindedly brushing her thumb across the tattoo, it took her a few seconds to notice a pair of captivating sea-green eyes staring into her own.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Alright, another chapter uploaded! I'll be looking forward to some feedback and reviews before the next chapter is up :) Take care guys!**

 **(22/12/2015)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters**

* * *

 _Chapter Four_

 ** _The Beast Within_**

* * *

His eyes were penetrating, it felt as if he could see right into her soul.

A low, husky voice cut through the moment of silence that fell upon them.

"Who are you?"

She expected him to ask that question. She saw the fingers on his right hand twitching; he was most likely trying to move them.

"I-I found you." She cleared her throat nervously. "You had severe chakra exhaustion, I think your muscles are still strained from it."

His eyes narrowed.

"Don't stress your body any more, you need to recover. I wasn't finished healing you." She was mildly astounded she had managed to sound stern.

She noticed her fingers were still touching his scar and her cheeks colored. She abruptly pulled them away and placed her hands in her lap.

'I should have known as soon as I stopped that technique he'd regain consciousness.' She mentally grimaced. 'I should have just done a simple jutsu to put him to sleep.'

"Sorry about this, Scarlet." She whispered, quickly making a few hand signs.

The red-head was struck with a wave of grogginess; his eyes grew faintly panicked.

"C-Can't.. sleep.." He tried to stay awake but his eyes felt heavier, he was drifting off. " **He** will.. kill.."

The shinobi ultimately lost the battle and fell asleep.

Aria raised an eyebrow. 'What is that supposed to mean?'

She shrugged it off.

'Oh, the strain on his muscles from the chakra exhaustion is worse than I thought it would be. He must have used up more chakra than he ever did in his whole life.'

Her hands glowed white.

'I'll just heal them so he doesn't stress out his body more. He should be able to move again after this.'

Her thoughts slowly wandered to the stranger she was healing.

'His eyes..'

Their gazes hadn't lasted long; It was possibly only a few minutes.

But she had seen so much in them, she had felt so much from them. She recognized the _pain_ in those sea-green orbs, the agony threatening to consume her. She was familiar with the _loneliness_ she saw that screamed at her silently, the isolation that she knew from experience. Aria was perplexed because he was a _stranger_ , she could not understand why she was so affected by him. She was stunned when she found that she would love to once again get lost in his breathtaking gaze. Her cheeks colored. She briefly wondered if her sanity had been blown away during the sandstorm.

The girl mentally criticized herself before her thoughts ceased.

She was vaguely aware of a presence enveloping the room. She thought she heard a croon before she shook her head and finished healing the man.

Before she could lower her hands, sand shot up and trapped them.

Her eyes widened. 'What—'

Her thoughts were cut off when she felt an outburst of chakra in the room.

She struggled to break the hold on her hands but it was futile, physical strength was never her strong point.

More sand flowed out from the stranger's gourd she had placed in the corner, they moved towards her and imprisoned her with her hands on her sides.

Dread filled her as she looked up and saw an empty futon.

 **"** **Hello, girl.** **"** She heard a voice from behind her.

Shivers ran down her spine, this voice was _different_. This voice emanated menace, instilled fear.

In a blink of an eye, he moved in front of her and lowered his face closer to hers.

She noticed his eyes had changed; the white part of his eyes turned black, his irises were yellow. He had pupils now, they were black and shaped like four-pointed stars.

She swallowed when she realized that his chakra signature now felt **sinister**.

"Hello." She replied as even as she could, staring into his eyes.

He grinned; his teeth were sharp and menacing.

"You are.. a spirit, no?" She asked after a moment of thought. "You were sealed inside his body."

 **"** **You are observant.** **"** His eyes sparked with interest.

She tilted her head to the side. "Why were you sealed away?"

Though she had a feeling she knew the reason already; His presence was very _intimidating_ to say the least.

 **"** **Because I am powerful. You pathetic humans were** ** _afraid_** **.** **"** He took a few steps back and crossed his arms, his gaze still fixed on hers.

Aria nodded; Her theory was correct.

The man looked around the room until his eyes fell onto the rumpled futon he had previously laid upon.

 **"** **This is the longest time this body has slept in years.** **"**

Her eyes filled with question. "What do you mean?"

He paced around the room and leaned on the wall across her.

 **"** **When he was a small child, I told him that if he slept, I would take over his body and go on a killing spree.** **"**

A wicked grin grew on his face.

 **"** **He hasn't slept since.** **"**

Aria was momentarily speechless.

"He must be very kind."

She meant what she had said.

Her heart clenched as she imagined how **lonely** he must have been; he was most likely shunned by others who were afraid. Regardless of that, he still willed himself to keep the spirit from killing the very people who rejected him. Aria was overwhelmed with feelings of compassion towards the man whom she barely even knew.

His eyes fixed themselves upon the girl, he had noticed the emotion in her voice.

 **"** **I have never thought of it that way.** **"** He chuckled to himself.

She couldn't read his expression or his tone as he mentioned this.

A contemplative look passed on her face. "But.. why do you kill?"

 **"** **Because I can.** **"** His answer came about quickly; his tone was overflowing with arrogance.

"I see." She bit her lip. "Could I ask you something?"

He raised a nonexistent brow.

Her gaze met his and he was somewhat surprised that it was unwavering.

"Please do not kill my grandmother." Her voice was steady, her eyes determined.

 **"** **You won't ask me to spare your life?** **"** He mused.

Aria shook her head. "I only wish to keep her safe. It was my own choice to bring you here."

She didn't want her grandmother to be harmed for what she had done.

He chuckled. **"** **Interesting.** **"**

The sand slowly loosened from their tight hold on her body. She briefly scanned herself for any wounds and stood up when she saw there were only light scratches.

It seemed as though the spirit has decided to let her live for now, though she didn't understand why.

"Oh, Spirit-san?" She called as she walked towards the door.

He hadn't moved from his position, leaning on the wall. His eyes met hers as a quiet response to her question.

"Just because you have the power to do something, that doesn't necessarily mean that you should act upon it. Control is above power; The control over yourself so that you do not senselessly abuse your powers is far greater than allowing your powers to consume you."

She knew he could kill her for her insolence. But there was no hesitation in her voice.

She noticed a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "That is merely my personal opinion though."

She slid open the door and went to find an ointment to treat her scratches, the door was shut quietly behind her.

He pushed himself off of the wall and grinned, his sharp teeth glinted in the light.

 **"** **She is an amusing human.** **"**

* * *

 **Author's Note: Happy Holidays everyone! Here's another chapter for you guys :) As always, I'll be looking forward to some thoughts and feedback before another update; Your reviews really do make me smile! Take care! :3**

 **(25/12/2015)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters**

* * *

 _Chapter Five_

 ** _Reluctant Farewell_**

* * *

Aria looked at herself in the mirror. She had applied some healing salve on her cuts and they were already scabbing. She would have to come up with a plausible excuse if her grandmother asks what caused them. Sighing, she sat down on her bed. She couldn't help but think about the event that occurred just moments ago; about that captivating red-headed stranger who had a stare that pierced her so deeply.

'This is ridiculous.' Aria chided. 'I don't even know his name!' She frowned.

'He is a stranger.' Her eyes softened ever so slightly. 'But I feel like I _know_ him.'

She then remembered the spirit who possessed him in his sleep. She was still at a loss at the reason for her life not being taken, even when she knew she was being brazen.

'His chakra signature...' She held back a tremor. 'It was wild, _malevolent._ '

She laid back and stared up at her ceiling.

'Judging by the animalistic nature of his chakra, he is most likely an animal spirit. A powerful one that controls sand.' She closed her eyes.

'I don't want Baa-chan to be harmed... I have to find a way to keep **him** from hurting her.'

She would never forgive herself if her grandmother was injured.

'I will have to get Scarlet out of here. I can't leave him alone in the middle of the desert though...'

Leaving him in the same spot she found him was out of the question.

'I'll just leave him near Suna, he will surely be found by the guards and be taken to safety.'

She opened her eyes and stood up, heading downstairs to the guest room.

Aria mentally prepared herself as she slid open the door, expecting sand to assault her.

She was caught off guard when she saw the futon had been moved next to the sand gourd near the wall, the red-head tucked in slumber.

'Perhaps the spirit decided to let his host sleep for now...'

That seemed a bit strange to her, especially when he had expressed his inclination to killing when he has the chance to.

'I'd like to think that there's a chance he listened to what I said.' She knew she was being hopeful.

She was about to step into the room when she sensed a chakra signature entering the compound. She closed the door and went to the main hallway.

"Welcome home, Baa-chan!" She beamed with a smile.

Her grandmother hung her coat on the wall and turned towards her with a grin.

"I brought some food for dinner!"

* * *

That night, as soon as her grandmother's snores could be heard, Aria crept into the guest room and entered silently.

"You sleep like a rock, Scarlet." She whispered as she sat next to him, her back leaning on the wall.

Her eyes fixed upon his face and she resisted the urge to touch his scar again.

A moment later, his expression was riddled with unease.

'A nightmare?' She hesitantly raised her hand and ran her fingers through his red hair, repeating the motion until the distress drained away from his face. He looked to be sleeping peacefully then, no trace of the previous anxiety.

'He deserves a peaceful rest; he rarely has the chance to after all. I will take him to Suna in a little while.'

She reveled in the surprising softness of his hair and began to hum a serene tune. It was a lullaby that her mother used to sing to her when she was a child; she had forgotten the words but the melody was unforgettable. Her eyes slowly shut, falling asleep with her fingers still threaded in the stranger's hair.

Both of them unconsciously found tranquility in each other's presence.

It was dawn when Aria stirred from her sleep, still sitting upright against the wall. She blushed when she saw her fingers had remained in the shinobi's hair. She stood up and stretched her stiff limbs.

'I have to get going now, before Baa-chan wakes up and wonders why I'm not here.'

She breathed deeply. "Kihaku."

She felt the abundance of natural energy surrounding her, twisting and swirling around her body. She held her hands out and absorbed it, a warmth spread in her core as she purified the chakra.

She formed hand signs and once again tried the physical enhancement jutsu, this time she applied more chakra than before. Feeling a tingle on her muscles, she set to work on taking Scarlet to Suna.

* * *

Dragging a body out the compound and through the desert is quite a challenge, for lack of a better term. The distance to Sunagakure wasn't far, but the weight and build of the red head as well as his equipment made it difficult for the petite girl to transport him. She was exhausted by the time they were a few hundred feet from the main gate. She awkwardly leaned the unconscious shinobi against the cliff that surrounded all of Suna.

'He should wake up in a few hours, I only used a moderate amount of chakra into the technique this time.' She took the time to gaze at his face, her fingers tentatively caressing the scar on his forehead.

Aria bit her lip. She felt almost hesitant to leave him, her heart felt grief at the thought of never seeing him again.

"I suppose this is farewell…" Her voice was barely stable.

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself, she stood up and turned around.

"Good bye, Scarlet." She whispered before she walked away.

'I hope we will meet again someday…'

* * *

Deep in thought, Aria didn't notice the faint flare of chakra emitting from the shinobi. She didn't see the grains of sand stirring around him as she paced further away.

 ** _'_** ** _I will find you, girl._** ** _'_** The spirit mentally snarled.

He wasn't affected by the jutsu, though it did hinder him from taking over. He could possess his host only when he is asleep, not when his body is under a comatose state.

 **'** ** _You can't run away from me._** ** _'_** He grinned with terrifying delight.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Last update for 2015! I just came back from a family holiday, I wrote this chapter as soon as I got to my room! :3**_

 _ **Thank you to Artist-kun, Ravegirl346, Guest (Leave a name so I know who you are next time! :D) , FoureverDivergent04, Lavendor Queen, and PlaidPajamas01 for the reviews! Seeing that people actually enjoy my writing makes me smile all silly hahaha c:**_

 _ **Reviews and Messages are appreciated! I'll be waiting before the next update :D**_

 _ **Happy (early) New Year's!**_

 ** _Messages:_**

 **~ Lavendor Queen : I couldn't resist adding Shukaku into the mix, I have some interesting things up ahead involving him! ;) And yes if she had died it would have been a _very_ short story! LOL**

 **~ PlaidPajamas01 : Glad to make you smile! And I'm glad you like her Kekkei Genkai :D I think it plays a part in her personality as well, making Aria someone who appreciates & respects the universe because she is more connected to it than most people are.**

 **Oh, one more thing, I am thinking about making the next chapter in Gaara's point of view, yes or no? Let me know! :3**

 **(31/12/2015)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters**

* * *

 _Chapter Six_

 ** _Startling Revelations_**

* * *

 _Darkness;_

It felt as though he was floating aimlessly in an ocean of nothingness. It didn't feel unpleasant, he noted. Gaara couldn't tell of another time he had ever felt this sort of tranquility, perhaps it has been too long since.

'What is this?'

He couldn't make sense of the void.

'Where am I?'

He was given an answer when he opened his eyes and saw a white ceiling.

At first he was assaulted with a slice of panic, he couldn't recall where he was and how he had gotten here. When he turned his head and saw the scenery out the window, he visibly calmed.

'Suna.'

He could never forget the landscape of his village. After all, he had spent thousands of nights gazing at the buildings underneath the moonlight.

Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, the young Kazekage tried to unravel the reason why he was in the Sunagakure local hospital. His mind was still hazy from sleep, which struck him with thoughts of confusion and terror.

'I haven't slept for so long that I didn't realize that the black void I was in was a dreamless sleep.'

He could hear his spirit laughing from the deep recesses of his mind. The tailed beast probably found that hilarious.

* * *

"How many did you kill while I was out?"

Gaara stepped into his mind, looking up at the creature chained and imprisoned inside of him. His question was met with a sinister grin.

 **"** **What makes you think I killed anyone?** **"** His tone was almost _innocent_.

The redhead's lips almost twitched into a frown, but his face remained blank.

"Because you're a merciless executioner with a taste for blood." He stated straight-faced, his eyes intense.

The beast rumbled with laughter, the mental chamber of his mind vibrated from its force.

 **"** **You know me well.** **"** His grin never faltered.

Gaara was filled with dread at the thought of the deaths caused by the beast.

'All because I couldn't stop myself from falling asleep.' He tightened his fists.

'My moment of weakness caused deaths and destruction.'

Shukaku watched as his host's expression hinted of his inner turmoil, his expressionless mask breaking ever so slightly.

 **"** **I simply** ** _adore_** **an unrestrained killing spree, as you know.** **"** He chuckled darkly, entertained by the way the shinobi's eyes glowered at his words.

 **"** **But then** ** _that girl_** **got in my way.** **"**

Gaara's breath was caught in his throat.

He tried to remember who the beast was talking about, when an image of breathtaking white silvery eyes assaulted his mind. He recalled the emotions swirling in the depths of silvery white. Could it have been compassion? Could it have been concern? He had felt _warmth_ in her gaze.

He didn't notice his heart skip a beat.

The redhead quickly dismissed his thoughts. 'It was probably _fear_ that I saw.'

That was the emotion he constantly recognized since he was a small child. Though it has lessened since he became the Kazekage of Sunagakure, a small amount of it always lurks in the eyes of others. It is human nature to feel fright in the presence of a predator.

A part of him strangely ached at the thought of the white-eyed girl fearing him.

"Did you… dispose of her?" For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to utter the word, kill.

 **"** **I probably would have, "** His tone was nonchalant. **"** **But then she fascinated me.** **"**

Shukaku's eyes glinted with mirth. **"** **The girl had the nerve to lecture me!** **"**

The walls once again shook with his booming laughter.

Gaara stared on, frozen with shock. It wasn't often that he was rendered speechless.

"What…" That was all he could muster in his state of disbelief. Shukaku sent his host a sharp-toothed grin.

 **"** **It occurred to me that her attempts to moralize a beast is far more entertaining than spilling her blood.** **"**

The Kazekage offered no response. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that a girl, a stranger who rescued and healed him without a second thought, who mindlessly put him to sleep and caused the beast to surface, had the audacity to _reprimand_ his ruthless spirit, and **lived**.

Sensing a headache coming along, he rubbed his temple with his hand.

"Where is she?" He looked up at the sealed spirit.

 **"** **She dragged your comatose body near Suna's gates to be found and then she left.** **"**

He noticed the aggravation in Shukaku's expression.

Could it be that the beast was irritated by the girl's departure? It seemed as though he was acting like a kid that had lost his new toy.

Gaara resisted the urge to roll his eyes under his impassive mask.

'A violent tailed beast practically _sulking_ at the loss of entertainment.' He almost scoffed. 'Nobody told me that the sand spirit had juvenile traits.' He crossed his arms.

He couldn't help but wonder, 'What in the world did the girl say to him?'

* * *

Shaking his head, he left the mental space of his mind and opened his eyes. He forced his stiff limbs to sit up on the bed, his muscles no longer straining. For a second time, he glanced at the view outside his window.

'I can't remember the last time I had this much rest.' His body felt energized.

'Even my chakra feels stronger than before, it feels extraordinarily vibrant.'

Absentmindedly, he noted the relief he felt that he hadn't caused a disaster in his sleep. In the back of his mind, he couldn't disregard a sense of contentment that his savior was alive, the curiosity of her identity plaguing him.

He remembered her dainty appearance; he had been analyzing her during their moment of staring.

The girl looked young, most likely she was still an adolescent. He remembered her chakra signature radiating intensely. If he had to describe it, he would say it was soothing, warm yet cooling at the same time. He remembered his sand armor hadn't been covering him at the time, allowing his bare skin to be caressed by her. He recalled the feather-like traces on his scar that greeted him when he woke, her fingers sent pleasant tingles from where they touched. He hardly ever had skin-to-skin contact and the feeling dazed him. But it was her eyes that overwhelmed him. Her irises had shone with wisdom beyond her years, accompanied by pains he was familiar with.

The pain of loss and loneliness.

He had observed as other emotions began to stir in her white orbs. He could almost swear she had seen something in his stare, that her gaze had softened at some point. He had managed to find his voice and ask her who she was; he needed to escape from being engulfed in her expressive eyes. But then her melodic voice resounded in his ears, soft and light.

The way the girl was influencing him with insignificant little details was maddening.

He had never noticed these things before. _Never_.

The sound of the door opening pulled him away from his reveries as a familiar blonde walked into the room.

"If he doesn't have any injuries, then why hasn't he—Oh! Gaara you're finally awake!"

Gaara mentally sighed at the loss of solitude, managing a slight nod at his visitor.

"Temari."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Hello! First update in 2016! I'm sorry it took so long, but if you check my Profile page I've explained a few things days ago.**_

 _ **First of all, I've added a Table of Contents in my Profile. If I've written the name of a new chapter there, it means it has been written. If there is no new chapter on this story it means I simply haven't uploaded it.**_

 _ **The reason for not uploading it straight away is because I had problems with reading new reviews from you guys, I couldn't see the reviews for Chapter 5 for some reason and I didn't get the Alert Emails either, even when I saw the Reviews count has gone up.**_

 _ **I didn't want to upload the new chapter without first reading your feedback from the previous chapter, your opinions really matter to me after all :)**_

 _ **Today I found that I was able to see the reviews for Chapter 5, so I figured I'd update for you guys :D FF seems to be having problems with New Reviews showing. I already sent them an email about this problem and I hope they resolve it soon!**_

 _ **Sorry for the long Author's Note! *facepalm***_

 _ **Anyway, Thank you so much for taking the time to read this note, and as always thank you for the reviews/feedback. It really keeps on motivating me!**_

 _ **:)**_

 _ **I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions on this chapter as well!**_

 _ **Messages:**_

 **~ Ravegirl346: Thank you for your continual support! :D Much love!**

 **~ TheAtomicRose: That feels like a great compliment! I'm ecstatic to be able to keep you excited for more :3**

 **~ Artist-kun: Me too! But I've re-imagined their reunion from my original plans, so perhaps it will be a few chapters till then. I want to make a memorable reunion, I want to make it believable yet completely breath-taking for both Gaara and Aria. I hope you will be patient with the story till then!**

 **~ Demona Evernight: Thanks! For a newbie like me that really means a lot :D**

 **~ PlaidPajamas01: I hope this chapter does Gaara even just a bit of justice! Let me know what you think :3**

 **See you guys soon!**

 **(06/01/2016)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters**

* * *

 _Chapter Seven_

 ** _Fateful Events_**

* * *

"I was _so_ worried about you! Where have you been? What happened?"

Temari was practically shouting beside him, her hands on her hips.

"You were supposed to arrive _days_ ago, Gaara!"

The redhead never got a chance to respond, he opened his mouth only to get another earful from the kunoichi.

"We sent a messenger hawk over to Konoha after you were a day later than expected, but Naruto said you had already left. _Alone_."

Her sharp eyes bore down into his and he barely resisted the urge to cringe.

"You're the _Kazekage_ for God's sake, you need to start thinking of the consequences of your actions!"

His sister started to pace back and forth.

"I know you're strong, Gaara. But it's safer to have bodyguards with you regardless."

He detected a hint of worry in her voice, her anxiety was rippling at him in waves.

"Temari." He started.

"We were just about to dispatch a team of ANBU elites to look for you," She went on. "Then we got the report that you were found near Suna's gates. _Unconscious._ "

"Temari." He tried again.

"We weren't even sure that Shukaku won't lash out at us if we tried to help you, fortunately he didn't." She sat down on a chair and stared at the floor.

"Temari." He said calmly. "Breathe."

She did as he said and looked up at him.

"I was so worried…" She bit her lip, her thumbs fidgeting.

Gaara nodded, his eyes softening. He would manage a small smile if he could, but he just isn't used to showing his emotions so freely.

"Thank you." He offered instead, watching as his sister tried to blink her tears away.

The blonde smiled in return, placing her hands on her lap.

A knock on the door caught their attention. A doctor walked in with a clipboard in his hand and bowed.

"Excuse me, Kazekage-sama, Temari-sama." He straightened himself up. "I would like to report our findings."

The siblings expressed their understanding and the man raised his clipboard, flipping a few pages back.

"After the initial tests, we found no fatal injuries. We did find that his muscles were recently strained, but were already healed nicely."

The doctor pushed up his glasses and continued.

"His chakra coils seemed to have experienced the same thing, they seemed stressed, it seems like they had gone through chakra exhaustion but they were already restored. His chakra reserves had already been mostly replenished."

Temari was listening intently. Gaara, on the other hand, already suspected this.

"The chakra itself was interesting though." The man scratched the back of his head.

"We concluded that you were healed by someone and they transferred some of their chakra to save you, Kazekage-sama."

He closed the pages on his clipboard.

"So we extracted some in hopes to find a way to identify your healer."

Hearing those words, his sea-green eyes sparked with interest. He really wanted to find the girl who selflessly rescued him.

"But we didn't succeed." Gaara managed to hide his disappointment.

"Or rather... we _couldn't_." The redhead raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Temari asked for the both of them.

The doctor lowered the clipboard. "The chakra... After we extracted it from his body, it lost his signature completely." Temari's brows furrowed. "It didn't even have the original owner's signature; it was just _blank._ " Gaara was silently assessing the information, his fingers tapping on the bed.

"How does that even happen?" Temari sounded exasperated.

"W-We don't know, Temari-sama." The doctor averted his gaze, clearing his throat.

"The chakra was white and vibrant, pure of any signature, we've never seen anything like it." The doctor frowned slightly. "We couldn't examine it more than that, the chakra eventually dispersed and faded into thin air."

The man then bowed and left the room after Gaara dismissed him, leaving the siblings to simmer in their thoughts.

After a moment of silence, Temari set her gaze on him.

"What happened?" She asked.

Gaara looked out the window, eyes slightly glazed in recollection.

"I was on my way back from Konoha, a few hundred meters away from reaching the borderline of The Land of Wind when I noticed puddles on the road." His voice was even, calm. "I was still in The Land of Rivers territory, it is not strange to find them around, but those puddles had strange chakra signatures emitting from them. Not a second later, a group of missing ninjas surrounded me. It was an ambush."

Temari was tense, visibly biting back an anxious rant.

"They didn't seem to be S-ranked, they were not that powerful but they got me with their odd set of weapons. I didn't notice them until it was too late."

His tone turned stiff.

"They had thrown dozens of shurikens and kunais, I simply deflected and absorbed some of them with my sand. I didn't realize that they had chakra-absorbing properties."

He turned back to look at her.

"It took me a while but I managed to fight them off, their leader told the ones still alive to retreat. I finally took notice of my unusually low chakra levels. It was then that I took out the strange weaponry from my sand and disposed of them, but my chakra had already been taken. I continued on my way back to Sunagakure but the chakra exhaustion got the best of me. I passed out in the desert a few miles north east from here."

Temari seemed contemplative.

"If you passed out in the desert, then who found and healed you?"

"If I only knew." His expression hinted at a sliver of longing. Temari shook it off as part of her imagination. "I only know that it was a girl, I didn't recognize her at all."

"A stranger healed and brought you to Suna?" The blonde's brows furrowed. "Is she a kunoichi? Why did she help you? How was she able to…"

Gaara only offered silence in response.

He wished he knew the answers to her questions. He wished he knew where to find the white-haired girl, perhaps to show her his gratitude. He wished he knew why he felt unfamiliar emotions when he thought of her. He couldn't help but allow a small part of him to hope that they cross paths again one day.

Little did he know, their chance meeting was fated by the stars.

This was only the beginning of their story.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Hello! Here's another update for you guys, a filler chapter of sorts. The semester has started again and I have a lot of classes this time around, but I will try to update as regularly as I can! :) Anyway, reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated! I'd like to read a few before I write the next chapter :D_**

 ** _Messages:_**

 **~ Ravegirl346: I'm glad I managed to capture his character well, thanks! :D**

 **~ lolitagirl.2015b: Aww, thanks! I hope I can write some cute scenes with Gaara and Aria soon! :3**

 **~ Artist-kun: I enjoyed writing his thoughts and such, I hope to do them more in future chapters :D We'll be going back to Aria's POV after this.**

 **~ Alibird1: Their reunion will be a surprise! ;) I'm hoping to make it memorable! Thanks :D**

 **(13/01/2016)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters.**

* * *

 _Chapter Eight_

 _ **Calm Before The Storm**_

* * *

The sun's radiant shine was concealed behind a chain of clouds, skies grey yet no raindrops fell; today's weather is somewhat suited to Aria's mood. It has been almost a week since she said her farewells to Scarlet, the redheaded stranger whom she found in the desert under the moonlight.

She didn't like to admit it but she caught herself with her thoughts drifting to him more often than she'd intended.

 _'_ _Where is he now?'_

 _'_ _I wonder if he is doing well…'_

 _'_ _Will I see him again? I hope so…'_

The last thought was the one that haunted her most, even her grandmother has taken notice of her granddaughter spacing out frequently as of late.

"Aria? Aria!"

The book she held in her hands fell onto the floor with a loud thud, her lips twisting into a scowl as she bent down from her windowsill to pick it up.

"Baa-chan! Don't scare me like that!" She held the book in one arm and placed the other on her hip. "It's awfully rude, you know. I thought you were supposed to be old and wise." She ended haughtily, a challenging glint in her eyes.

Her grandmother sent a mischievous smirk at the girl.

"Well I just wanted to tell my dear Little Iris that she had been holding her book _upside down_ for the past hour or so. I didn't know that you preferred reading that way, child. Quite peculiar of you."

A pink tint graced the young girl's cheeks as she fought the urge to smack her palm onto her forehead.

"I-I was _not_!" Her retort was weak to say the least, and they both knew it. Shina couldn't hide the laughter from spilling, and the girl turned away with a childish "Hmph!".

Shina's hand gently ruffled her hair, she glanced at her grandmother's face to see a kind smile.

"What's the matter, Little Iris? You've been day dreaming more often than you are here with me lately."

The girl in question was about to object when her grandmother cut her off.

"And don't say that it was nothing, I will believe you less than I did the first time. And even then I didn't believe you one bit."

Aria grumbled something about nosy old ladies and her grandmother waited expectantly. She could imagine her grandmother mentally tapping her foot impatiently and she almost snorted.

"I just—" She tried to think of a good lie to tell, she couldn't very well admit that she was missing the stranger she brought into the compound without permission.

"I'm lonely." It was the best she could come up with at the time.

"I wish I had friends I can hang out with, have girls' nights, sleepovers and stuff."

She mentally grimaced at how superficial that sounded, hoping that her grandmother won't figure out that she was being a bit dishonest. Although she does wish she had friends, that wasn't the thing that was bothering her. When her grandmother's eyes softened, Aria knew she had completely believed her excuse.

"Oh dear, I am sorry. I realize I've been difficult." Her grandmother's tone held remorse.

"I wanted to protect you, I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you."

She looked up at her grandmother's tear-filled eyes and leaned up to hug her close. She hated it when her grandmother was sad.

"It's alright, I understand." Though a part of her still can't help but wish for freedom to spread her wings.

Shina Tsuriai kept silent, seeming to be deep in thought. With a pat on the girl's head, she turned and left her alone in the library.

'I hope Baa-chan isn't angry, I didn't mean to hurt her.' She frowned, feeling guilty.

Aria placed the book she had been holding down on the table and headed downstairs to find the old lady.

Scratching her head when she didn't find her in the living room, she heard rustling from the main entrance.

"Baa-chan?" She saw her putting on her shoes, already dressed to go out.

"Yes, dear? I have an appointment today at the hospital, did I forget to tell you?"

The young Tsuriai shrugged.

"It's either that or I was the one who forgot about it." She kissed her grandmother on her cheeks.

"Be safe, Baa-chan!" She called out as she watched Shina walk out of the compound.

* * *

If she had known that it would be the last time she watched her grandmother waving back at her with a bright smile, she would have hugged her tight and told her how much she loved her. Perhaps she would try to stop her from leaving. Leaving the compound. Leaving her all alone.

If she had known that her life was about to be blown into a storm, would she have done anything differently?

 _No._

Because she didn't regret saving the man she would grow to love. The man she would later call hers, as she was his. The man who deserved oceans yet only takes raindrops. The man who accompanied her in her lonely solitude. The man who took her by the hand and spun her world on its axis.

She would never regret having him in her life, because he is her life. Or at least, he will be.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Thank you again for those who took the time to leave me messages of their support, I greatly appreciate it! :)**_

 _ **I'd love to hear more from you guys, critiques, feedback, and such! I'll be waiting to read more reviews before I update the story again! Take care !**_

 **(16/01/2016)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters.**

* * *

 _Chapter Nine_

 ** _Barred by Time_**

* * *

"Kazekage-sama! T-The doctor advised against any taxing activities!" The young ward failed to bluff a stern tone.

Gaara merely walked over to his gourd, propped on the wall of his hospital room, and strapped it onto his back.

"I am fine." His tone was final.

The young man tasked with taking care of him could only watch helplessly as Sunagakure's leader opened the door and stepped out. He couldn't very well order around the Kazekage now, could he? Well, he loathed to admit he was afraid to either way.

Walking down the corridor, Gaara eased into observing the people he passed. This particular floor was designated for shinobis, both active and retired ones. He received bows as he passed men who work for him, sending small nods of recognition their way as he walked by.

The distinct smell of medicine, somewhat bitter and chemical, entered his senses. He had to admit he rather disliked hospitals, though It wasn't often that he found himself getting treated in one as he rarely got injured after all.

Perhaps it was the suffocating color _white_ everywhere. The color of purity.

White didn't suit him, he thought to himself, he had spilt too much blood in his life time. However, he could think of one person who wore white magnificently, but he stopped that train of thought before it began. He needed to cease his wonders about _her_. He had found himself lost in his own mind too many times during his time confined in bed rest.

His pace grew brisker as he moved towards the staircase.

"Alright, is there anything else I can do for you, Ma'am?" The hospital staff asked with a smile.

The shinobi administration office is located on this floor, unlike the general administration office. The staircase was just beyond the office area. Gaara spared a glance towards the old woman at the desk.

"No, thank you. That will be all." The elderly replied, standing up.

"My medicine will be ready for pick up at the pharmacy, as usual, right?" He noticed the slight tremble in her voice.

"Yes, Ma'am." The staff seemed to have missed the falter in the old woman's step as she turned to leave.

In a split second, with a hand clutched to her chest and heaving gasps, she staggered to the floor.

"Shina-sama!" The lady behind the desk cried with urgency, watching the elderly tumble with panicked eyes.

On instinct, his sand slithered faster than naked eyes could see, saving the woman from impact at the last second.

Cries for help came from the staff, the elderly was visibly shaking with pain and effort to stay conscious. He gently eased her down when nurses came and rushed the patient to intensive care.

Gaara strode after them after a quick deliberation.

'She seems to have come by herself.'

He leaned against the wall outside of the emergency room and crossed his arms.

It was not his usual behavior to do such things, waiting for someone he didn't know. But he felt an odd need to do so. Maybe it was because he was reminded of someone else who hadn't turned her back on him at his time of need.

And so he waited.

* * *

A couple of hours had passed when the door slid open, a man with a white coat stepped out with a clipboard held in his arm.

"Kazekage-sama." He bowed in respect. Gaara answered with a nod.

"The patient has been stabilized, but she is currently unfit for visitors." He began. "We barely managed to save her."

His expression was grim. "Though it is very unlikely that she will live for much longer."

Gaara waited for the man to clarify.

"She experienced heart failure. After reading her medical files and assessing her current condition, I am able to conclude that her heart will not be able to sustain her for much longer."

A nod of understanding was his response.

"Does she have any kin?" He asked after a moment of silence.

The doctor pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Not that I know of, Kazekage-sama. She always came unaccompanied."

"Is there not an emergency contact listed in her file?"

"She listed her clan attorney as her contact, Sir."

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

'Peculiar.' He thought.

"Then contact them. And inform me of any news regarding the patient's condition." His Kazekage robe rustled as he departed for his office.

* * *

Gazing out at the view of the city, Gaara soaked in the comfortable silence in his office. He had spent hours reviewing various paperwork and he just knew that there was more to come. He mentally groaned at the thought. A knock on the door caught his attention and he took a seat behind his desk as a messenger entered.

"Pardon me, Kazekage-sama." He bowed.

"I come with news of a patient in the hospital. The doctor said that she has regained consciousness."

Nodding, the redhead excused the man.

'A break from all this paperwork is greatly welcomed.' He thought.

With unvoiced relief, he left his office to check on the old woman.

* * *

Gaara hadn't even knocked on the door yet when he heard a voice calling out to him.

"You may enter, Kazekage-sama."

At this, he felt an inkling of surprise. He had the habit of suppressing his chakra signature, only a handful of highly skilled shinobi could sense him when he does so.

Opening the door, he was met with wise eyes and a kind smile from the woman resting on the hospital bed.

He entered and stood beside her.

"I believe you were the one to rescue me from an early death bed, Kazekage-sama?" Bedridden yet mirth shone in her gaze.

He nodded somewhat stiffly. He was still slightly unused to foreign company, those who are not his siblings, his friends, or even his old teacher. He tended to keep his silence.

"Then you have my thanks." Her hands rested on one another on her lap.

He briefly wondered why the woman showed no fear in her demeanor, nothing but respect and warmth.

"No one can escape the claws of time, it seems." Her chuckle eased the depth of her words. "Though a part of me wished I could stay for longer, if only to protect that of which is important to me."

He only nodded.

"Shina-san, do you have family members you would like to contact?"

Her voice laced with melancholy when she answered, "I expect that the hospital has already contacted my clan attorney, yes?" She continued when he gave his affirmation. "Then they would have already informed my family of what happened."

Gaara thought of her peculiarity, most people would directly list their family as their emergency contact in the first place.

Sensing his thoughts, Shina contemplated before providing an answer to his silent question.

"I have taken quite a bit of measure to keep my family as far as possible from the clutches of those who are unsavory." She started.

"At one point in time, the leaders of Sunagakure were within that group of people."

He raised a non-existent eyebrow, but no surprise came. He had known many wrong doings have been done in the past, those of which past leaders justified by claims that it had to be done for the sake of winning the war, for the good of the people.

"But I have seen you, young one." Her eyes fell on him.

"I've seen your growth from the grasps of blood to become a great leader."

Her gaze was sharp, seeing deep into his core.

"You are the reason why I am less burdened with leaving her in this world, for at least I feel that she will be safe here."

He didn't know who Shina was talking about, he resigned for it to be ramblings of an elderly.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have caged her away, however well I meant." She solemnly mused.

Gaara glanced at the setting sun out the window. He uttered his words of departure, remembering the work he left which is due by the end of the day. She nodded in respect and waved goodbye.

As he walked out the door, he heard her quiet pondering.

"I wonder if they will meet some day. Strangely enough, I feel that they would probably get along very well."

He dismissed it and started towards his office building, unknowingly missing a chance meeting with a certain white-haired girl who came just moments after he left.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Has it been over one month already? I can't believe how fast time passes by. In any case, sorry for the long wait! I've been busy with exams and projects and such, things are hectic to say the least. But I will do my very best to update when I can. That's why I'm updating today while I'm sick and resting in bed. I had typed up half of this chapter a week or two ago, but I felt that it was too short and I wanted to expand it more hence why it took longer for me to upload.**_

 _ **Anyway, Thank you so much for the feedback, guys! A few of you sent me private messages as well, very appreciated!**_

 _ **Thanks to Ravegirl346, shadowjumper7, Cow-Lover2214, time-twilight, CrystalVixen93, shika93, Carri007, and emailuroob :3**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoy the update!**_

 _ **Messages:**_

 **~ Cow-Lover2214: Waa, I'm glad you think so. Yes, the overuse of those kinds of plots do get to me as well, I had an itch for something different, something "fresh" I suppose. I do hope I can continue to keep your interest, and I'd really like it if you review again, feedback helps me grow as a writer after all :3 Take care!**

 **~ time-twilight: I decided for it to be after the Fourth Shinobi World War; Because I feel that the creators of Naruto have done an amazing job with the plot, and I just wanted to give Gaara a continual of his own story, his own splash of love and happiness. I want him to find the peace that most of his friends had found, it only seemed right to me :) Thank you for reviewing!**

 **~ shika93: Hahaha thank you! I hope you'll continue to keep up with my story :3**

 **~ Carri007: Neither am I! I wish I could just quickly write and get to the part where they meet again already! But alas, I feel that good stories shouldn't be rushed, so I hope you will bear with me till then! :3**

 **~ emailuroob: Thank you for your kind words! I will of course continue to update the story, let me know any thoughts on it! Take care!**

 **(22/02/2016)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters.**

* * *

 _Chapter Ten_

 ** _Harsh Sunrise_**

* * *

'No, no, no!' Aria couldn't remember the last time she felt this anxious, this _dread_.

Buildings became blurs of colors as she ran as fast as she could towards the Sunagakure Hospital.

She hadn't known the man who knocked on the house gates, she hadn't seen any visitors come to the compound in over a decade. But her curiosity trickled away into a gut-wrenching sense of panic when she heard the news he brought.

"Aria-sama; My name is Kurosaki, and I am your clan attorney." The man briefly bowed and looked her in the eyes, a solemn look on his face, one she couldn't place the cause until he continued.

"I was contacted by the hospital in Sunagakure, and they have informed me that Shina-sama has collapsed."

She couldn't remember anything else the man said, her mind had thrusted into a whirlwind as she followed the man into the village she hadn't been to in years.

As soon as she could see the hospital building, she sprinted ahead of her companion and headed straight towards her grandmother's hospital room; Kurosaki had kindly told her where the room was as they were heading into the village.

'Not her, _please_ not her!' Panting, she slammed the door open and her eyes scanned the room.

"Little Iris?" An eyebrow rose. "It's rude to enter before knocking on the door, child." Her grandmother calmly sipped her tea and placed it back onto the bedside table.

Without a second thought, she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around the old woman who was resting on the hospital bed.

Hearing soft sobs, Shina gently smiled and caressed her granddaughter's back.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, child." Her voice was warm, soothing.

"Don't—" Her throat constricted, she couldn't even imagine her Baa-chan **gone**. "Don't leave me, promise you won't leave me!"

Was she being selfish? Was it wrong for her to want her grandmother, the only person she had in this world, to stay?

Shina could only stroke her granddaughter's head silently in response.

* * *

Aria spent the rest of the night in her grandmother's hospital room.

She had even refused to eat dinner as she would have to go out to buy food.

With a stern stare and spiking chakra signature from her Baa-chan, Aria grumbled as she went out to buy food from the hospital canteen; Old age and a weakening body doesn't hamper her grandmother from being somewhat scary in the least.

'I'll just buy lots of food at once, that way I won't have to leave Baa-chan next time!' She nodded to herself in approval.

With an arm full of assorted breads, she headed back to her grandmother's room.

She munched on a steamed bun as she neared the door, sensing another chakra signature other than her Baa-chan's; Aria could barely make out the muffled voices coming from inside.

"Shina-sama, that's—"

"My decision is final, Kurosaki. It is something that _must_ be done."

"But—"

Aria slid open the door with her free arm, tilting her head at the sudden silence that fell upon the room.

"Kurosaki, you are dismissed." Her Baa-chan nodded towards the clan attorney.

"Excuse me, Shina-sama." The man bowed and walked towards the door.

Aria waved at him as he passed. She was startled to see an unreadable expression on his face.

With a shrug, she haphazardly dropped her breads onto the table across the hospital bed.

"What was that about, Baa-chan?" She finished eating her bun and sat in a chair next to Shina.

"Boring adult business, young one." Aria bristled at the old woman's mischievous tone, bringing a mirthful laughter from the retired kunoichi.

* * *

Hours elapsed and the young girl was absentmindedly creating small chakra butterflies; They fluttered around her as she held her hand up to create more.

"Little Iris," Shina softly called.

Her granddaughter raised her gaze up from the floor, humming in response.

Aria saw a faraway look in her grandmother's eyes that she couldn't quite understand.

"My time will come, as will any human's. When that day arrives, I will be happy to be reunited with my loved ones."

Baa-chan smiled fondly.

"I've spent many years in this world, and I've been blessed with a long life. I am glad I got to take care of you, Little Iris."

Aria could only hold her tears back, hugging her grandmother tightly.

"B-But I don't want you to go..." Tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Some things are out of our control. But trust that everything happens for a reason, child."

She could hear the heart monitor beeping in the background, each beat gradually getting further from the last.

"B-Baa-chan?"

Her grandmother whispered into her ear before closing her eyes.

Before Aria could even blink, nurses rushed into the room and pushed her aside.

"Shina-sama!" "Her heart is—" "Quick, get the doctor!" "Is it too late?"

She watched, paralyzed, as the doctor came in and tried to resuscitate her heart.

"Aria-sama!" She barely heard Kurosaki's voice through her shock. She felt her arm being pulled and came into her senses as the man dragged her outside into the hallway.

Leaning against the wall, her Baa-chan's words rung through her hazed mind.

 _"_ _Forgive me, Little Iris, forgive me for my selfishness all these years. Live on and live free. You weren't meant to be a bird in a cage."_

A ray of sunlight fell upon the girl through a window; A new day has begun.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Oh gosh! Time passes by way to quickly! I apologize for the (very) late update!_** ** _The reasons as to why is on my Profile page, so if you're curious of why, go on and read all about it there!_**

 ** _I cannot begin to explain how much I appreciate your kind words of support; Thank you, each and every one of you!_**

 ** _You guys keep me motivated and humbled to be able to keep learning and continue this little story of mine._**

 ** _Thanks to Ravegirl346, LittlemissLazy, Queen62010, Toreh, laniDG11, MajesticSkittles, bambam411, dark miyako, JessicaMoussa, and Guest(s)!_**

 ** _I hope you all enjoy the new chapter! I've altered a few things here and there, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out. What do you think?_**

 ** _P.S. I was actually so overwhelmed by the amount of messages when I checked my email inbox; I read through many of you guys telling me to update that I immediately continued this chapter and uploaded. So thanks for motivating me!_**

 ** _Reviews and feedback are always greatly welcomed! :3_**

 ** _Take care!_**

 **(07/05/2016)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters.**

* * *

 _Chapter Eleven_

 ** _Handful of Sunshine_**

* * *

 _"_ _Look, Baa-chan! I got it, I got it!"_

 _A little white-haired girl exclaimed excitedly; Her silky white locks were tied into a high ponytail, they swished and tickled the nape of her neck._

 _She ran as fast as her small legs could carry her towards the smiling elderly sitting at the edge of the porch, overlooking the garden._

 _"_ _Thank you, child." Shina took the single stem of Iris offered to her by the child's small hand._

 _Aria stared up at her grandmother's twinkling eyes, took in the small up tilt of her lips. She hadn't seen her Baa-chan smile since Kaa-san and Tou-san went to heaven._

 _She stood on her tippy toes, reached out and grasped her grandmother's cheeks._

 _"_ _Are you happy now, Baa-chan? Will you smile again from now on?"_

 _A flash of surprise showed in her weary white orbs._

 _"_ _I've worried you, child, haven't I?" A tear rolled down Shina's cheek and she pulled the younger Tsuriai into her arms._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, Little Iris. You've had to be strong for the both of us, haven't you?" The little girl returned the hug tightly, lips trembling. "I'll be strong with you from now on, child."_

 _Moments passed and she could hear the soft sounds of her grandmother crying, as she began to do the same._

 _"_ _On the days when you feel weak, cry." Shina stroked her back soothingly before she pulled away, eyes boring deeply into Aria's._

 _A smile graced her face as she pulled off the ribbon holding up her granddaughter's hair, her hand gently running through the soft tresses._

 _"_ _As long as you don't forget to smile afterwards." She kissed the tears away from the child's small cheeks, before wiping off her own._

 _The little girl sniffled and rubbed her eyes, nodding._

 _"_ _Promise?" The elder Tsuriai held out her pinky._

 _Slowly, Aria linked her small finger to her grandmother's._

 _"_ _I promise, Baa-chan, I promise."_

* * *

Sluggishly, the white-haired girl opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Dried trails of tears were apparent on her face; She had spent hours after hours, crying until her throat was hoarse from the abuse and her body fell asleep from the exhaustion.

Her grandmother's funeral was held yesterday, with only her and Kurosaki present. She had been dressed in a black kimono with a black rose hairclip pinned on the side of her head, a great contrast against the white of her hair. During the ceremony, not a single tear shed from Aria's eyes. After Kurosaki had uttered his goodbyes and left her safely in the clan compound, she managed to keep herself together until she had changed her clothes and sat on her bed. Teardrops fell, one after another, until she couldn't stop herself from sobbing any longer.

'I fell asleep a blubbering mess of tears and snot.' She grimaced as she got off her bed and headed towards the bathroom to wash her face.

Wiping her face dry with a soft towel, she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She raised her hand and prodded the dark circle under her eye.

She shook her head and went out the bathroom, intending to grab a refreshing glass of water downstairs.

Stepping down the stairs, she tried to disregard the emptiness of the house that she had noticed immediately when she returned to the compound days before.

 _Days._

Had it only been days since her grandmother's passing?

The young Tsuriai longed to hear her Baa-chan's infectious laughter, to see her warm smile. She even missed coming into the dining room and listening to the old woman slurp tea noisily on Sunday mornings.

On that thought, she grabbed a tea set instead of an empty glass and proceeded to brew some black tea.

Aria sat at the dining table and took a sip of her tea.

'Live on and live free.' She pondered.

"But I don't even understand where to begin—or how to begin." Her head rested snugly on her palm. Slowly, her eyes closed as she breathed in the delicious scent wafting from her tea cup.

"What am I supposed to do, Baa-chan?"

She felt so **lost**. So **alone**.

She barely won the battle against her watering eyes, tears blurring her sight before she blinked them away in determination.

Aria breathed in and out deeply.

'I shouldn't keep crying—I promised Baa-chan to smile after I cry, right?'

She leaned back and stared at the ceiling, silencing her melancholic thoughts.

"I'll be strong." She whispered to herself. "For her."

'Because that's what she would have wanted.'

She looked at the sky from the kitchen window as she thought to herself.

'She wanted me to fly.'

* * *

After an hour-long hot bath, Aria slipped on a pair of high-waisted black leggings and an off-shoulder white shirt, its sleeves reaching her lower arms. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she sat at her dressing table and gently brushed her hair. Her thoughts drifted to her last conversation with Kurosaki.

 _"_ _We need to discuss your grandmother's will, Aria-sama." Kurosaki spoke as they neared the clan compound. "Would you like me to come here or would you like to come to my office instead?"_

 _"_ _I would prefer going to your office, thank you." She had kept her gaze low during the entire trip home._

 _'_ _I need some time away from this compound.' She grimaced. 'It won't feel like home without Baa-chan around...'_

 _Kurosaki nodded in response._

Despite the circumstance, Aria couldn't help but feel a shimmer of excitement at the thought of going to her clan attorney's office. She hadn't stepped foot inside of Sunagakure in a long time after all, other than her visit to the hospital the other day. She could only remember her anxiety for her grandmother's safety then. She stopped that train of thought before her grief could get the best of her.

Aria briefly scrutinized her reflection and noted that her hair is being cooperative today. With a deep breath, she slung her shoulder bag on and left for the renowned sand village.

* * *

The weather was what one would expect it to be in the desert; Scorching, for those who are unaccustomed to the temperature. The Tsuriai heiress arrived at the village gates and marveled at the sight beyond it. She resisted a squeal of glee at _finally_ being able to visit once more. Had anything changed during the years of her absence? If so, how much? Is the bookstore she frequented with her father still open? She hoped so.

Before she knew it, she had arrived at the office and she sat across Kurosaki as he read her grandmother's last wishes.

"In conclusion, all assets of the Tsuriai clan rightfully belongs to Aria Tsuriai, the only remaining member of the clan, as soon as she is of age." The attorney finished.

Aria nodded.

"Ah, that means I would have to wait until my next birthday to gain access to any and all Tsuriai clan properties, right?" She looked up at Kurosaki.

"Correct, Aria-sama." He re-sealed the will along with a few other documents. "That brings us to a problem I'd like to discuss."

She looked at him in question.

"Since you are not eligible as of yet, and I have not been able to resolve this matter of technicality with the current condition on such short notice, I regret to inform you that I could not procure currency from the Tsuriai clan reserves to aid you until you are of age." His tone held a hint of defeat.

Aria tilted her head to the side, letting his words sink in.

"Ah, I see."

Kurosaki cleared his throat. "I would not mind to help you in that regard, Aria-sama. It is my duty to serve the clan, after all. It is not a problem."

"Don't be silly." She shook her head. "I could not possibly take your money, Kurosaki-san."

"But, Aria-sama—"

"Really, it's alright! I could umm…" She bit her lip in thought. "Oh, I could work in the village for a while!"

The man looked as if he were about to protest.

"I would have plenty of opportunities to explore the village then, it's perfect!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together in resolution.

Kurosaki tried to stop the girl, but it seems the young Tsuriai didn't notice his objection. Or she blatantly ignored it. When she left with an energetic wave of her hand, he slumped on his seat with his head in his hands.

"Shina-sama, you've left me with a handful." He groaned.

The poor attorney has no idea.

* * *

Aria left the attorney's office with a small grin on her face, lightly humming as she walked through the village aimlessly. Looking around at anything and everything, she felt content to watch the buzz of life around her. She hadn't exactly interacted with other people much, nor has she seen other people's interaction in years. Everything and everyone seemed like a new adventure waiting to happen. The thought of that caused her smile to widen. As she turned the corner into a familiar path, her excitement grew at the sight of a small shop.

"Chishiki bookstore." She whispered to herself, walking closer. She couldn't help but reminisce the days when her father would bring her along with him to pick up the books he ordered.

She took a deep breath as she stepped inside, relishing in the scent of books lingering in the air. To be quite honest, Aria must have looked quite silly, standing at the entrance of the store with her eyes roaming around for what could have easily been fifteen minutes or so. However, she was a bookworm at heart and she couldn't help but mentally drool over the number of books which were shelved inside. Her trance was broken when an old man approached her with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Are you alright, Miss?" His eyes were kind, just like his smile.

Aria smiled back and nodded.

"What are you looking for then? The books are further inside, you know."

She hoped her slight embarrassment wasn't obvious.

"Ah, I was just— "

"Oh! You're here for the job interview, no?" He cut her off.

"Eh? Job? But—Eh?" She stammered, surprised.

"You seem perfect for the job! I could tell your love of books by the look in your eyes." His eyes gained spirit. "You're hired!"

"Wait—What?"

"How soon can you start working?" He turned and rummaged inside the cashier drawer.

"Well— Umm, any time?" She wasn't sure of what is happening, her confusion only growing when he handed her a dark blue apron to wear.

"Good! You'll start today then!" He grinned at her, handing her an empty name card and a pen after she put on the store apron. "Write your name down on that card for your name-tag."

Aria wrote her first name on the card and clipped it onto her apron with a cardholder.

"Alright, Aria-san! You're good to go! We can discuss the pay and such later after the store closes, until then, your job is to help customers and man the cashier table. I'll be right back with a written guide for you!" She watched as the old man walked into a room in the back; His office, presumably.

Minutes ticked by in silence before Aria blinked in comprehension.

"Did I just get a job?" She thought out loud.

'That was… unexpectedly easy.'

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Hello peeps! This update took me longer than I thought it would, considering I had 30% of it written in May. But hey, it turned out longer than I expected it to be, which is good, right? :3 I've been swamped with projects and deadlines and such in June and July, I literally only slept for 3 hours a night for over a week, and for the last 48 hours I didn't even get to rest!_**

 ** _Anyway, I would just like to take a moment to say, "Thank you so much!" Because in the beginning of July, Hidden Sanctuary hit over 10.000 views! I couldn't believe it! Really, I am so grateful and humbled that so many of you would take the time to read my story._**

 ** _Thanks to Ravegirl346,_ _WindBear47_ _,_ _JessicaMoussa, Alibird1, MajesticSkittles, laniDG11, SigAnGelHeArt_ _, and Guest(s)!_**

 ** _I hope you all enjoy the update! :3_**

 ** _Oh! I've actually already begun to write the next chapter, if I manage to be satisfied with it I might just update again soon!_**

 ** _Feedback is always appreciated, guys! Feel free to review! :D_**

 ** _Take care!_**

 ** _Messages:_**

 **~ WindBear47: You have a good eye there, it may or may not play a part in an event in the future ;)**

 **~ Alibird1: I can't wait either! I wish I could skip to when they meet again already! D: That would make for a short story though! xD**

 **~ Guest: Hello! Thank you for your kind words! I am... Not the bravest person I know, really in actuality I often feel like a coward. I was the type of person who would rather not dream than getting my hopes crushed. But I can't _stop dreaming_. And I'd never know how it would turn out if I don't try, right? If I stumble and fall along the way, that would be how I learn to grow, and I'd learn from my mistakes. Yes, it's scary to put yourself or your works out there. But wouldn't you regret it if you _don't_ try? "What if" and the like. If you do decide to post your story online one day, message me and I will read it :) Good luck, dear!**

 **(12/08/2016)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Original Characters.**

* * *

 _Chapter Twelve_

Adjacent Paths

* * *

"Welcome to Chishiki bookstore! How may I help you?" A white-haired girl bowed and smiled politely.

Ever since Chishiki-san, a quirky old man, unexpectedly hired Aria after her trip to her clan attorney's office, she had been working the afternoon shift at his bookstore.

She had refused to work the morning shift when it was offered to her.

* * *

 _Aria's first day at work passed in a blink of an eye; The bookstore closed before sundown every day._

 _"Working the morning shift would be impossible, Chishiki-san. I daresay I would be late to work almost every day!" She exclaimed with as much dignity as she could._

 _The store owner chuckled in response. "Not a morning person, are you?"_

 _"Most certainly not." The girl acquiesced, crouching low to help Chishiki-san secure the padlock on the store entrance._

 _Hearing her refreshing honesty drew a belly laugh out of hew new boss._

* * *

Aria had to start working after the scheduled lunch break, but she had been coming in an hour in advance to eat with Chishiki-san at his favorite eatery; She found eating alone at the clan compound to be very gloomy. So, for the past three days, they had been going to a diner a few blocks down the road from the shop. The girl had to admit, their rice bowls were delicious!

Sitting at the counter with her head resting on her left palm, she noticed a customer pacing back and forth in an isle at the back. She could faintly hear the woman muttering to herself and staring a hole into the book she was holding. The woman went to grab a couple more books before bringing them to the cashier table with a determined look in her eyes.

Aria smiled politely and went to put the items in a paper bag when the customer nervously cleared her throat.

"Excuse me," The woman began. "A-Are those books uhh… Any good for b-beginners?"

Aria glanced briefly at the books on the counter.

The first one read, 'Guide to The Perfect Dinner!' The next one was, 'Cooking Your Way into His Heart!' Last but not least, 'Anyone Can Cook!'

The overzealous titles almost made her grin in entertainment.

"These books would be a good place to start, Miss." She replied politely. "Although, try to find simple recipes to start with. Learning the basics is key to familiarize yourself with cooking."

She placed the books in a paper bag and took the money the woman gave to her. She carefully handed the paper bag to its new owner and thanked her for her patronage.

"Thank you, Miss! Come again soon!"

Watching the woman exit the shop, Aria sat back down and leaner her head on her palm once more.

'Good luck!' She thought as she watched her walk away.

* * *

Evidently, luck wasn't enough for the woman to learn the culinary arts. The very next day, she came back to the bookshop and slammed her palms onto the counter.

"I demand a refund!" She shouted.

Aria looked up in question. "What seems to be the problem, Miss?"

The woman crossed her arms. "The book said that anyone can cook! I followed the instructions written in the recipe, but it didn't work!"

The cashier tilted her head to the side.

"Didn't work? Was it inedible?" She quizzed. "Undercooked? Overcooked?"

A frown graced her features. "The rice always ends up very sticky! I had followed the recipe to the dot, you know! The measurements and the time, everything! I even tried it four times!" She was clearly frustrated.

Biting her bottom lip, Aria thought for a moment. 'Ah, she was trying to cook rice?'

"Miss, did you buy the proper rice grain?" She asked politely. "Try buying long-grain rice at the market. I think you might have bought sticky rice by accident."

Silence floated between them as the previously angry woman let the information sink in, her ire cooling.

"O-Oh. So it was the rice…" She awkwardly scratched the back of her head.

She then bowed in apology. "I am so, so sorry for ranting at you earlier!" She grimaced.

Aria smiled and shook her head. "It's alright. I understand you were frustrated, Miss."

She got the impression that the woman before her was actually outspoken, and the fact that this wasn't her area of expertise might have baffled her.

"If you don't mind, could I… come back and ask for advice some time?"

"On cooking?" She blinked. "Sure, why not?"

"Thank you." The woman let out a relieved sigh.

"I'll go to the market to buy more rice before trying again. See you!" She waved enthusiastically before departing.

'She sure seems determined. I hope she doesn't give up on learning.' Aria thought, watching her dash away quickly.

'Hmm? She's a ninja huh?' Her head rested on her palm idly; It was a slow day, only a few customers were browsing inside the store.

The woman had been wearing the standard Sunagakure shinobi attire, with a weapon strapped to her back. Her chakra signature was quite vibrant, but she had suppressed it quite well.

Aria's face grew serious. 'I hope she hadn't noticed my chakra signature.' Kurosaki had told her to hide it for her own safety since she had been coming to the village more often.

'Better safe than sorry I suppose.' She mentally shrugged. 'In any case, even Baa-chan couldn't detect me when I blend my chakra signature. So I should be alright as long as I remember not to let my guard down.'

Instead of just hiding her chakra signature, Aria also learned to assimilate it with the natural energy around her. Her Kekkei Genkai sure is handy at times.

"Excuse me, Miss. Would you kindly show me where the plantation handbooks are located?"

'Oh, right. I'm still at work.' She mustered a polite smile. "Of course! Right this way."

* * *

Day after day, the blonde customer returned to ask various questions about cooking. Clueless as she was, she was determined to learn; Aria was glad to be able to help.

"Aria!" Her loyal customer's voice rang loudly as she dashed into the bookstore.

"Look! I did it!" She all but thrusted an onigiri wrapped in plastic into Aria's hands.

The girl raised an eyebrow.

"Good afternoon to you too, Temari-san."

"Come on, try it!" The kunoichi urged eagerly.

Aria giggled at her enthusiasm and unwrapped the rice ball.

"Itadakimasu!" She slowly took a bite.

Chewing, the girl noted the anxiously excited look on Temari's face.

"Well? How is it?"

Aria grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "It's pretty good! You managed to tell the difference between salt and sugar this time."

Temari beamed with delight before the last sentence sunk in. "Thank y—Hey!"

The younger girl couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling at the blonde's expression.

"Anyway," Temari cleared her throat. "What time do you get off from work?"

"Just before sundown." Aria replied, munching on her rice ball. "Why?"

"Oh! Perfect!" Temari grinned.

Aria tilted her head in question. "Huh?"

"Would you come over to my house and help out with dinner?"

"Uhh—"

"It's just that I'm planning on making hotpot tonight and I'm afraid I'll mess it up—"

"Temari—"

"I don't want Kankuro to insult my cooking again and you're the only friend who would teach me—"

"Tem—" Aria was momentarily stunned; 'We're friends?'

"I'll buy all the ingredients and everything so you only need to come—"

"Temari!" Aria almost shouted at the blonde.

"Y-Yes?"

"I'll come, silly." Aria couldn't resist giggling. "Friends help each other, right?"

Temari paused before beaming a smile. "You betcha!"

"Thanks, Aria!" She leaned over the counter to give the younger girl a hug.

"Oof! No need to squeeze me to death." She joked, hugging back.

"Now," Temari straightened up.

"I'll go buy the ingredients from the farmer's market. I'll come to pick you up later after the shop closes, alright? See you later, Aria!"

"See you!" Aria took another bite of her onigiri as she watched her new friend dash to the market.

'Friends, huh?'

She smiled to herself, feeling like she could hardly wait till the shop closes.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Is it really the end of 2016? I can't believe that it has been a year since I began writing Hidden Sanctuary! Happy birthday? Happy anniversary? What's the right term for it? Anyways, Thank you all so much for the support, you all help me stay motivated to continue this story!_**

 ** _The reason why I haven't updated in so long is in my profile, if any of you are curious._**

 ** _Happy holidays everyone!_**

 ** _Thanks to_ _Alibird1, Anime-Cuteness,_ _WindBear47_ _,_ _Ravegirl346,_ _JessicaMoussa, TheSunAndMoon4321, Fox Princess,_ _and DreamerNightingale!_**

 ** _I hope you all enjoy the update!_**

 ** _Feedback is always appreciated, guys! Feel free to review!_**

 ** _No matter how busy I am, I always take the time to read your reviews and messages. Emails notify me of them any time of day after all!_**

 ** _I really appreciate them all!_**

 ** _Take care!_**

 ** _P.S. Gaara and Aria will finally see each other again soon! Excited? ;)_**

 **(23/12/2016)**


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